Brother
by Paige Jennings
Summary: In attempt to get Loki back and remind Thor why he once loved his brother, Frigga turns Loki into a child again and sends him to Midgard to the Stark Tower, where Thor and the other Avengers have to take care of him. How will they do and will all this really get Thor his brother back how he once was? Set between The Avengers and Thor TDW.
1. Chapter 1

**Brother**

**Chapter 1**

The sound of the queen's footsteps was the only sound echoing from the dungeon walls, as she walked down the stairs to the cells. She appeared very determined when she coldly ordered the guards to leave, yet her heart pounded wildly in her chest.

She waited until the guards had retired, before she took the keys from a hook in the wall beside the stairs and paced through the corridor. This part of the dungeon was meant only for the "special" prisoners. The cells were bigger and more comfortable and the inmates were considered either more important or more dangerous, than the others, sometimes both.

All cells in this part of the dungeons were empty, except for the one at the end of the line. It was Loki's.

Frigga took a deep breath, as if to assure herself, that she was doing the right thing. But of course she was! She would not stand by and watch, while her son rotted in a prison cell and lose what little there was left of him to the darkness. She had a plan, one last chance to redeem her son and she would take it.

Loki lay on his bed and read. He looked up startled, when he caught sight of his mother and rose, throwing the book he had just read carelessly aside.

"Mother!"

Frigga said nothing and Loki watched in utter confusion, how she unlocked the door to his cell and stepped in.

"What are you doing here," he asked a little baffled.

She did not reply, instead she took one of his hands in hers and squeezed it slightly.

"What is going on mother?"

"I'm here to help you."

Loki stared at her in disbelief. "You cannot be serious. Odin will be furious!"

Frigga merely smiled. "Don't worry about your father. I can handle him."

"He is _not_ my father," Loki hissed.

Frigga did not argue. She was tired of arguing about such things and she did not have the time to. Instead she cupped his cheek with her hands and smiled. She felt warmth rise in her chest and spread through her body, reaching her palms.

"What's going on," Loki exclaimed bewildered, as a white light began to gleam from them and got brighter and brighter.

Frigga embraced him. "Don't ever forget that I love you," she whispered into his ear and closed her eyes, before the light got too bright to bear. For a brief moment it filled the whole cell, before it weakened and when she opened her eyes again, Loki was gone.

* * *

Thor sat on his bed in the Stark mansion and he was lost in his thoughts. He had come to earth to see his friends and rally from the strenuous days in Asgard and forget his worries for a while. He spent his evenings with Steve and Toni, talking about how they came along and how things went at S.H.I.E.L.D. Even Bruce Banner had planned to come for a visit, since he had heard that Thor was back in Midgard. He even felt, that he slowly started to understand the midgardian traditions, but sometimes- like now -he felt like all his worries and compunctions had followed him down to Midgard.

Loki still sat in his cell in Asgard. Thor had never visited him there. Odin had forbidden any visitors for Loki, except Frigga. He knew he couldn't keep her off anyway, but that was not what held Thor back.

The truth was that he could not bear to face him.

Thor stared down at his hands, as he felt this familiar storm of emotions brew inside him. They were trembling.

He closed his eyes as if in pain and clenched his hands to fist, when he felt numerous emotions befall his mind like a sudden tempest. Anger, disappointment, desperation, betrayal, guilt, despair. Sometimes they hit him with such force, that he felt like he would break.

Thor had told himself over and over again, that Loki was no longer his brother. He had let go of the thought to make both Loki's betrayal and his own disappointment bearable and he hated himself for it, but another part of him clung onto the thought desperately. All the things they had been through together, the memories they shared; they could not only be a lie, they had to be more than the faint shadow of the past.

Thor sighed. How could all this have happened? How could he not have seen this coming? He had been so blind and careless in his pride that he hadn't seen the state Loki was in. He should have done something. But what? Thor had tried to understand what was going on in Loki's mind many times, but he couldn't figure it out. It was like a labyrinth to him. A labyrinth locked behind a door and he couldn't even seem to find the key. The mind was Loki's territory, his was the battlefield.

There was nothing he could do. Loki had gone lost in his own head. And yet sitting around, knowing he had lost his brother pained Thor nearly as much as, as holding on to old memories.

He let out a desperate groan and rubbed his face with his hands in helpless anger. But before Thor could think any farther, a dazzling white light suddenly illuminated his room, so bright, that he had to close his eyes and cover them with his hands. The light weakened and it was gone as suddenly as it had come.

Thor opened his eyes and looked around the room. There, in the centre of the room lay a small heap, covered in an emerald cloak. Was it a human?!

Thor rose slowly from his bed to get a closer look at the small figure and his heart skiped a beat. Was that-? No it couldn't be! That was simply impossible!

_**And? How did you like the first chapter? I hope you enjoyed it. **_

_**My apologies for any grammar or spelling mistakes**_


	2. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2**

It was a boy, no older than six or seven, curled up in the emerald cloak and fast asleep. Only a patch of black hair looked out from underneath the cloak. Thor felt his heart hammer in his chest. He felt his moth go dry, when he crouched down beside the little boy to look into his face and his heart made a funny jerk.

_Loki_

For several heartbeats Thor remained completely motionless, staring at his face and watching the even rise and fall of his chest. This couldn't be. It was impossible. Instinctively he reached out and brushed a few strands of hair from his face.

"Thor?"

The thunder god jumped at the sound of his name. Natasha stood in the doorway and watched him curiously. "Are you okay?"

Thor just looked at her. "Get the others."

* * *

Heimdall was already expecting the queen, when she came to him at the Bifrost.

"My Queen" He bowed his head respectfully. "It is an honour to see you here."

"Good evening, Heimdall," she replied, not unfriendly. "I believe you know why I am here."

The gatekeeper did not negate it, for he would not insult the queen by feigning ignorance.

"The guards will soon find that my son is gone."

Heimdall said nothing.

"Can you see him," Frigga asked after a moment, standing beside him and staring out into the vastness of the universe.

"Yes."

"My husband will come to you for information."

"Yes," Heimdall repeated.

"Will you tell him," Frigga asked.

"I have sworn an oath to him."

"Of course you have."

Heimdall's gaze remained directed forward, watching the things, invisible for the eyes of the most. "Odin will come to demand information about a man," he said slowly. "All I can see is a boy."

Frigga smiled faintly to herself. "Thank you Heimdall," she said and turned to leave his golden guard post, her steps echoing from the high golden walls.

The gatekeeper remained motionless. "I fear I do not know what you are speaking of my queen."

* * *

The others stared at the sleeping boy before them in disbelief.

"And you think this is Loki," Steve asked, his arms crossed before his chest and looked down at him.

"I do not _think_ it," Thor growled indignantly. "I am certain of it."

Steve raised his hand apologetically. "Of course you are. I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you."

"But how is that possible," Tony mused. "I thought he was safely imprisoned in Asgard."

Thor sighed heavily. "When I left Asgard he still was, but with Loki you can never be sure. Maybe this is one of his tricks."

"It wouldn't surprise me," Natasha said darkly.

"The question is; what do we do now?" Steve looked at them expectantly.

"I think it is best if I return to Asgard with him."

"Now?" Tony asked and looked at Thor. "Don't you at least want to wait until he wakes up and we know what's what?"

Thor shook his head sternly. "No. It is best if I go now. My father will know what to do."

The others watched how Thor carefully lifted his little brother's sleeping form the floor. He gave a small sigh when Thor took him up and nestled closer to his chest in his sleep. Thor carried him past them, the cautiousness of his actions not matching the sternness of his former words. They followed him up on the roof of the Stark Tower to bid him goodbye.

"I must go now my friends," Thor said. "But I will return as soon as I can." He stepped into the centre of the roof and looked up into the sky. "Heimdall open the Bifrost!"

Seconds went by and they waited for the bright beam of light, to bring Thor back to Asgard. Nothing happened.

"Heimdall," Thor repeated impatiently. "Open the Bifrost!"

Nothing.

Tony made an impressed face. "I must say, great job your famous gatekeeper is doing."

Thor glared up into the sky, ignoring Toni's teasing remark. "I don't understand. Asgard must be in trouble; otherwise Heimdall would open the Bifrost."

"Heimdall", he shouted one last time, without a reply.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "And what now?"

"Let's go inside," Steve suggested and glanced at Loki. "It's cold. He'll just get sick."

* * *

Inside, they lay Loki on the couch in the living room and covered him with a blanket. Steve even managed to gently pull the cloak from Loki's grasp without waking him. Now they all sat gathered around the table in the living room.

"So I really hate repeating myself," Tony said. "But what do we do now? And why couldn't goldilocks here return to Asgard?"

Thor shot him an evil glare, but replied anyway. "Asgard must be in danger. I see no other reason why Heimdall should refuse to open the Bifrost."

"Maybe they don't want you back yet," Tony suggested. Thor didn't laugh.

"But why," asked Natasha.

"Maybe they think Asgard is too small for his enormous ego."

She rolled her eyes at Tony. "Why should Asgard be in danger? Have you made any new enemies lately?"

Thor shook his head. "No, I suppose it has something to do with Loki," he said and glanced fleetingly at the slumbering boy behind him.

"Let's not jump to hasty conclusions here," Steve interjected. "We don't even know if Loki really has anything to do with this _or_ if Asgard even is in danger and since Thor can't go back to Asgard, all we _can_ do is wait, until Loki wakes up."

"And what do we tell Fury," Natasha asked accusingly.

"Nothing yet. Not until we know a little more."

"And what about Barton? He'll come back from a mission in Russia in a few days. What do we tell him?"

"Nothing," Steve replied calmly. "I think it's better, if we don't tell him anything yet."

Natasha didn't look pleased, but she did not argue.

Time dragged by slowly. They sat at the table and now and then someone said a few words, but really they waited. After some time Tony got bored and started throwing small pellets of paper at Steve, earning evil glares from the others.

From time to time Loki sighed and turned in his sleep. Every time he did, everyone froze and turned their faces towards the small, slumbering boy, but he didn't wake up.

"Miss Potts is back from Denver, sir. She is on her way up now," Jarvis suddenly announced after what might have been a few hours.

Tony looked up alarmed. "Pepper! I promised to pick her up from the airport! She's probably going to kill me!" Then his look fell on the sleeping Loki and he looked even more alarmed than before. "She's definitely going to kill me!"

"Tony", Pepper's angry voice came from the elevator. "You prom-" Her voice died away, when she came into the room and found four people staring at her from the table.

"What is it", she asked suspiciously. "Tony?" Only then saw the little boy wrapped into a blanket, sleeping on the couch.

"Is that… a _boy"_

Tony did his best to avoid her eye. "Er- um- It's uh-"

"Tony! Who is that?"

"It's Loki."

"What?"

"It's Loki," he repeated.

Pepper stared at him incredulous. "But what-? How-?"

Tony shrugged. "We have no idea. He appeared in Thor's room like that a few hours ago and that's it."

Pepper stared at Tony, then at Loki for several seconds, trying to work that information through, as Loki let out a long sleepy sigh and everyone turned their heads, staring fixedly at him as he turned and gave another muffled sigh. They rose and gathered around the sofa, watching as Loki stretched and slowly opened his eyes.

_**Review if you like and feel free to correct any of my grammar and spelling mistakes:)**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Loki blinked sleepily, but then his eyes widened in shock, when he realized, that five unfamiliar faces were watching him. He shot up into a sitting position and stared back at them like a deer in headlights. "Who are you," he demanded shakily.

Pepper held up her hands in a calming gesture. "It's okay Loki, we don't mean to harm you. My name is Pepper, I'm your friend, okay?"

Loki did not look convinced. "Where am I?"

"You're in New York," she said. "It's a big city on earth- I mean Midgard," she added, when she saw Loki's confused expression.

"Midgard?!" He looked bewildered. "Why did you bring me to Midgard?"

"We didn't bring you to Midgard," Pepper explained. "You-"

"I don't believe you", Loki snapped. "Bring me back! I am the son of Odin Allfather and if you don't give me back, my father will come and crush all of Midgard," he asserted with all the courage a six-year-old could muster.

"Please Loki, listen-" Pepper tried to calm the upset boy, but Loki wouldn't let her finish. "I want to go back home," he said, his words now more a pleading than a threat. "I want back home to my mother and father and Thor."

"But I am here Loki. I am here. I am Thor." The thunder god had not spoken and watched Loki with worry, but now he looked the little boy in deep in the eye.

Loki eyed him warily. "You are not Thor," he said. "You're old."

"But Loki I-" Thor stepped a little closer and held out a hand to touch his shoulder, but Loki crawled away from him as far as he could and pressed his back against the backrest of the couch. "Don't touch me!"

Thor yanked his hand back as if he had burned it and his face contorted, as if in pain. "I think it's best if you all go now," Pepper said. "I'll take care of him."

So they left. Thor followed them reluctantly.

* * *

"He doesn't seem to remember anything," Steve said, when they sat in the kitchen.

"It could be an act," Natasha replied.

Steve shook his head. "No, I don't think so. I didn't seem like one to me."

Tony sighed. "To me neither, but he's the trickster god. It wouldn't surprise me if it was. What do you think Thor? Thor?"

The thunder god didn't say a word. He sat there, with a dark, sullen face and stared vacantly at the opposite wall. "I don't know," he finally said.

"So, do we tell Fury that he's here?" Natasha asked with a hint of irritation in her voice.

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Fury and kids? Naw, I don't think so."

Natasha sighed. "You know all this could cost me my job?"

Suddenly the door opened and Pepper came in. "How is our trickster god," Tony asked.

Pepper sighed. "He won't say anything anymore. Not much anyway. I've made a bed for him, but he's refusing to leave the couch."

"And now?"

Pepper shrugged. "I think we'll have to wait until he falls asleep."

* * *

It was well past midnight, when they all went to bed. Loki still sat on the couch, in the dark, clasping his blanket and staring out of the window façade of the Stark Tower, onto the Skyline of New York.

"Loki," Pepper said, to not startle him. He didn't react. She walked to him and crouched down before him. "Don't you want to go to bed? You look tired."

Loki did not move. His gaze remained fixed forward, as if he tried to stare right through her. "We do not mean you harm you know?"

No reaction. Pepper sighed. "Tell you what, I'll sit here with you, until you're tired and then I'll bring you to bed, okay?"

Loki did not reply, so she sat down, a little away from him, to not upset him and waited. From time to time Pepper glanced at him from the corner of her eye and she could see how his lids got heavier and heavier, but he never said a word.

At three in the morning he had finally given in to sleep. He had sunken to the left side of the couch and breathed evenly and when Pepper looked into his face his lids were closed. He did not wake, when she lifted him from the sofa and carried him upstairs to the room she had prepared for him. She put him into bed and pulled the thick feather-bed over him. In his sleep he mumbled something she could not understand.

She left the room and closed the door quietly behind her. "Jarvis, if Loki wakes up, he is free to walk in the house, except for Tony's workshop and my office, but most importantly; _don't let him go outside._ Is that understood?"

"Yes Miss Potts," Jarvis replied from somewhere above her.

"Good." Now she could finally go to bed.

* * *

Pepper woke early the next morning. She had never been a long sleeper and all the excitement yesterday had not helped her sleep either. So she got up and went to the kitchen to make some coffee.

As she had expected, she was the first one up. She enjoyed having the first few moments of the day for herself, before Tony got up and bent her ear and since he had joined the Avengers and the others were around on regular basis, it hadn't been exactly quieter in the house.

Pepper sat down with her cup of coffee and skimmed the paper. Not long after her Steve came down. "Morning," he said and sat down on the chair opposite to her.

"A cup of tea," she asked.

He nodded. "That'd be nice."

Pepper stood up and put on some water. "Can I," he asked, pointing at the paper. She nodded. "I've just finished."

Pepper liked Steve. He usually got up not long after her. He was pleasant company in the morning. He usually drank a cup of tea or coffee, read the paper in silence and left her to her thoughts.

"How's Loki," Steve asked.

Pepper shrugged. "I don't know really. It took me until three to get him into bed and he still won't talk to me."

"It must all be very unsettling for him."

She nodded. "I've told Jarvis not to let him out of the house. That's what we need now; a kid-Loki running around in New York."

"Right."

"How is Thor," Pepper asked. "He seemed pretty upset yesterday."

Steve sighed. "To be honest, I think he's taking all this almost as bad as Loki."

* * *

Thor stared up to the white ceiling of his room. He had spent all night tossing and turning in his bed, while his thoughts had somersaulted in his head. They still did.

The last few hours didn't feel real to him. It was, as if it all had only been a dream, as if they had passed him by and he had only watched them happen. But it was not a dream. It had happened and in one of the rooms in this house his brother, his somehow de-aged brother, was slumbering peacefully- or so he hoped, not remembering all the terrible things he had done. Also Loki didn't seem to remember him (or at least not his current self) and it had pained Thor than he had expected. It meant that Loki had forgotten most of the things they had been through together, that they didn't even share the same memories anymore and it had shattered a part in him.

But a question, which kept nagging in the back of his mind, was; was it only a trick? Was it one of Loki's plays, to fool them out and set him free? Or was it really his little brother? The little brother whom he remembered to be afraid of the dark and of frost giants stealing him in his sleep? That fear now seemed like a cruel joke of life to Thor now. He wanted to seek his father out for help or better even his mother, but he could not get back to Asgard. Why? Had anything happened? Was Asgard in danger? Where his friends alright? All these unanswerable questions made his head spin.

* * *

When it was about midday he decided to get out of bed and ask Lady Pepper for something to eat and this wonderful, brown liquid that was called coffee. Down in the kitchen sat Pepper, trying to solve one of these world-riddles in these papers that were filled with news from the happenings in all Midgard.

"Good day Lady Pepper," Thor greeted her.

Pepper looked up from the paper and smiled. "Good morning Thor. So you're up too? Are you hungry?"

"Actually yes," Thor admitted.

"There are some pancakes in the frying pan," Pepper offered. "I'll get you some," she added, remembering Thor's last attempt to get himself some breakfast and stood up to get him a plate.

"Where are the others," Thor asked, noticing that it was unusually quiet in the house.

"They have gone to pick up Bruce from the airport."

"Ah, yes." Over the events of yesterday, he had completely forgotten that Bruce Banner came by for a visit today.

"Here." Pepper put down a plate with pancakes before him. "You look like you could use it," she said, setting down a cup of coffee beside it.

"How is Loki," Thor asked and picked up his fork, but didn't begin to eat. Pepper sighed, wiping the counter with a cloth. "I tried to get him down to have some breakfast, but he refused to leave his room. I think he is terribly scared."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel bad," she told Thor, when she looked up and saw his darkening face.

Thor made a dismissive motion. "It's alright. I hadn't expected anything else."

"Do you want to go up and try to get him down?"

He looked at her darkly. "You've seen how he acted yesterday. He's afraid of me."

Pepper gave him a sympathetic look. "Thor I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," he said, even if it didn't sound like it. "We don't even know if it's for real."

"You think it's only an act?"

"You don't?"

Pepper shook her head. "No. He seemed truly scared to me."

Thor didn't say anything.

"Is that good or bad," she asked.

"I'm not sure." He sighed desperately, burying his face in his hands. "I don't know what to do."

The thunder god looked up startled, when he suddenly felt a warm hand on his shoulder. Pepper gave him a reassuring smile. "Let's take it slow and do the only thing we can do."

"And what is that?"

"Try to make Loki feel better. Whatever this is, Loki is no use to us, if he hides in his room and decides to go into hunger strike."

Thor looked up at her and when he saw her confident expression, he felt a little better for the first time, since Loki had appeared in his room.

* * *

Not long and Bruce and the others returned to the Stark Tower. Thor greeted him with a bone crushing hug. "It is good to see you again Banner."

Bruce smiled fondly at him, rubbing his ribs. "It's good to see you too Thor. I heard Loki is back?"

The thunder god nodded darkly. "I fear he is."

"And as a child I hear?"

"Yes."

"And you have no idea why?"

"No Banner, we told you," Natasha replied in Thor's place.

"Maybe you could check on him," Pepper suggested. "He won't eat or drink anything and I think he is scared."

Bruce nodded. "Of course"

So they went up to Loki's room. When they came in, Loki sat huddled up on his bed, staring vacantly at the wall, refusing to even take notice of them coming into the room. Bruce approached him carefully. "Loki?"

He did not react.

"Loki?" Only when Bruce crouched down before him and lightly touched his shoulder, he flinched and took notice of him.

"It's okay Loki. My name is Bruce, I'm a doctor. That's what you call the healers in Midgard. I just want to check on you, if that is alright with you."

Loki stared at him.

"I can send the others out if you want," he added, when Loki's gaze wander to the others, still standing by the door. Especially the sight of Thor seemed to unsettle him. Loki nodded.

"I'll just take his plate down with me," Pepper said and wanted to reach for the plate she had brought up for him earlier. He hadn't touched it.

Bruce stopped her. "No, no leave it. He can have something later if he wants."

* * *

A few minutes later, Bruce came down with Loki's still untouched plate in his hand. "Have you got milk," he asked Pepper.

She nodded. "Yeah sure"

The others looked impressed. "How did you get him to accept it," Steve asked.

Bruce shrugged. "Patience?"

"However you did it, I'm glad you did," Pepper said, handing him a glass of milk.

"What do you think Banner," Tony asked. "Is Magic feigning it all or is his fear for real?"

"It's definitely real. His pulse was quickened, he was jumpy and he's got his guard up, even if it might not seem like it. You can't fake something like that."

"Will he be alright," Thor asked, obviously affected by his words.

"I think so. Just give him time. He's upset; he understands this just as little as we do, maybe even less. Be patient and I think he might come around."

* * *

Clint Barton lay hidden in the undergrowth on a small hill outside a parade ground in Russia. He had been watching it for days. All he could see were Russian soldiers at shooting practice, testing a new rifle. No sign of a new explosive, strong enough to blow up a whole continent.

But suddenly the sky opened and a bright blue light, like a lightning hit the parade ground. A spaceship broke through the cover of clouds, so big it made the World Trade Centre look like a dirty cubbyhole.

Soldiers screamed and shouted, pointing up into the sky, but before they could do anything else, the spaceship landed on the parade ground, tearing down the barb wire fence, dangerously close to Barton's hiding spot, burying every single one of the soldiers underneath itself.

Clint watched in horror, how a huge entrance opened and a ramp drove out. Hundreds and thousands of men, stormed out of the spaceship, onto what had been a practice ground only moments before.

They were lean and tall in silver armour. Some of them carried, what looked like small iron bows. Most of them had long hair and… pointed ears? What the fuck? Had he gotten himself into some sick Sci-fi version of "The Lord of the Rings"?

Too late he realized that one of the pointy-eared warriors was heading straight towards the undergrowth he was hiding in. Damn he had seen him! Clinton grabbed for his bow, but the creature stood before him in one quick motion and knocked him out with one strong hit with his iron bow. "I've found one of them!" was the last thing Barton heard, before his world turned black.

* * *

**I am so, SO sorry I haven't updated in ages and I haven't even got a proper excuse… or maybe a tiny one? I've been working on my own story with a friend and it kind of kept me occupied. So again, I'm terribly sorry. I hope the length of this chapter makes up for it (a little)**

**As always: I would appreciate it if you told me about minor grammar or spelling mistakes or if I used a word wrongly, since English is not my native language. Reviews are always welcome! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Frigga stood at the balcony of her chamber and watched the asgardian sun sink behind the mountains, painting the sky in red and gold. She heard the door open, then Odin's heavy footsteps behind her.

"Loki has escaped from his cell. It seems Heimdall can't see him."

Frigga turned around to look at her husband "Oh."

"You don't look surprised."

"I am not," she said. "Did you really think he would just sit in his cell and wait for an eternity to pass?"

Odin examined his wife's face. "You've got something to do with it, don't you?"

"I have," Frigga said calmly. "Or have you thought that I would spend the rest of my days watching my son rot in a stinking prison cell?"

"What have you done Frigga?"

She could hear anger in his voice, but she didn't care.

"What have you done?!"

"I have saved my son," she replied, looking Odin sternly in the eye.

"Where is he," Odin asked.

"In Midgard, with Thor"

"We have to get him back"

"No!" Frigga grabbed for her husband's arm, when he turned to leave. "He won't do any harm. I've made sure of that."

"Just tell me what you have done."

She hesitated a moment. "I have de-aged him," she finally admitted.

Odin's face was a motionless mask. "Did Thor know of this? Is that the reason he went to Midgard?"

Frigga shook her head. "No, he didn't know anything."

The Allfather stared at his wife for a long moment. "If anything happens, you are to blame, you have to deal with the consequences." He turned to leave. "I think you should go to Midgard and tell Thor. It's not fair on him."

"I will," she said. "Just not yet"

* * *

Clint Barton thought his head might explode. It was throbbing with a dull pain and the bright neon light around him hurt his eyes. Where was he? What the hell was going on? Only slowly it all came back to him: The sudden appearance of the spaceship, the dying Russian soldiers, the elves…

_The elves! _Barton could feel his heartbeat fasten. He looked around and found himself bound to a chair, his hands behind his back, in a, with neon lights illuminated, room. The walls and floor were made of a strange, silvery material. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. To his left was a door, similar to those they had at SHIELD, else the room was empty.

He looked around for his bow. It was gone. Damn it! He had a knife in his boot, but with his hands bound behind his back he couldn't reach for it. So all he could do was waiting.

He didn't have to wait very long. Soon after he had regained consciousness, the door to his left slid open and an elf entered. He was tall, taller than any grown man Barton knew. He was surely almost one foot taller than Thor, but he was lean and his skin shone in some yellowish-golden tone, almost like ivory. He had long, dark hair, that fell over his back in light waves and his features were delicate, with high cheek bones and a small, even nose, but what unsettled Clint were his eyes; his eyes were golden and they seemed to be able to look right under his skin. It sent a chill down Barton's spine.

"So you are the one they call Hawkeye." The elf had a melodic, voice.

_Almost like a song_, Clint thought, but there was something cold in it, cold and dangerous.

"What do you want," he snapped and could have kicked himself for the tremble in his voice.

The elf ignored his question. "Where are the rest of your friends?"

"What friends," he snapped, pretending to be dumb.

"That green monster and the man in the iron-suit and all the rest of them."

"Tony Stark?" Clint laughed humourlessly. "I wouldn't describe him as a friend. He is more of a pain in the ass."

"I heard the healer, who shelters the green monster in his body, is currently in this land called India," the elf continued, ignoring his snarky remark.

_He's not_ Barton thought. _But no need to tell him that. It will give SHIELD more time to find me._

"What do you want," he repeated his question from earlier.

"It is none of your concern what we want," the elf retorted in an almost bored tone.

"Then why don't you kill me?"

"Oh," he said lightly in his melodic sing-song voice. "Believe me I would have, but I still need you. How else would I get all the rest of your group?"

* * *

The entire next day, Loki spent up in his room. Bruce got him to drink one or two more glasses of milk, but he couldn't convince him to take something to eat, let alone to leave his room. They were worried, but Bruce said it was alright. "He makes some progress, if we force anything on him now, he will only shut down again."

Late at night, Pepper woke up, because she had to use the bathroom. On her way back to bed, she thought, she heard quiet sobs coming from Loki's room. Carefully, she opened the door and peeked in. "Loki? Are you alright?" In the darkness she could make out his small form, curled up to a tight ball under the blanket. His small back was shaking with sobs.

"Loki," she repeated a little louder. He shot up on the bed. She had obviously given him a fright, because he stared to the door, with wide and teary eyes.

"What's wrong," Pepper asked gently, leaving the door behind her ajar and slowly walked over to his bed.

"A nightmare?" She crouched down before him, but didn't sit down on the bed to not intrude his personal space. Loki nodded shakily.

"It's alright, it was just a bad dream, your save here." She carefully reached out to touch his shoulder. He flinched at her touch, but he didn't move away. Pepper began to stroke is back in little circles to sooth him.

"What was the dream about," she asked, when his sobs had almost died away. He didn't answer.

"It's okay," Pepper said. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

They stayed like this for a while, Pepper running soothing circles across his back and Loki's tears drying on his cheeks.

"Do you think you can go back to sleep now?"

The little boy nodded.

"Do you want me to stay," she asked.

Loki hesitated. She saw he wanted to say something, but he did not dare.

"I can stay until you have fallen asleep," she offered with a smile. Pepper took his silence for permission, as he nestled back into his bed. He even let her pull the covers over him.

She sat on a chair at the foot of the bed and waited until his eyes had closed and his breathing had become even and slow. For a second she thought about stroking his raven hair, when she saw him slumbering so sweetly, but then she thought better of it. She didn't want to upset him now.

* * *

Pepper was in a good mood, when they all sat at breakfast the next morning. It was not much she had achieved with Loki last night, but it was a start and she took victories were she could get them, but her good mood soon left her, when Natasha came into the kitchen with a grim expression

"Barton has gone missing."

_**So this was Chapter 4. I hope you enjoyed it. How do you like my villain? :)**_

_**Same as always: Reviews, corrections and constructive criticism are appreciated and wanted :)**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Have I thanked you for your great feedback yet? No? Then here I go :D**_

_**It's great how you giys respond to my story, honestly. I am must thank you for all the nice reviews and every favourite and follower this story gets. I didn't expect it and it makes me so happy and I swear I am going to try and update on regular basis!**_

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"What?!" Everyone stared at her in disbelief.

"Fury just called. He said, Clint should have been back for a report yesterday, but he didn't show up and it seems they can't reach him."

"Should we go looking for him," Steve asked.

Natasha shook her head. "No, SHIELD is still negotiating with Russia, but they claim they don't have him of course."

Tony leaned back in his chair, arms crossed before his chest. "Doesn't Fury want us in?"

"No, he said all we could do now, would end in a political debacle."

"And he is right," Bruce said. "I mean, let's suppose Russia doesn't have Clint, then we still didn't know where to search for him."

Tony sighed theatrically. "My hair is gonna get all grey from all this drama."

* * *

After breakfast Pepper decided to bring Loki up something to eat. She entered the room with a soft knock on the door. As usual Loki sat on the bed and stared out of the window. When he heard her come in, he turned his head and looked at her.

Pepper smiled at him. "Are you better?"

He blinked. "I thought you might want something to eat." The boy did not reply.

She sighed. "Look, it will do neither you nor us, if you don't eat anything."

Loki stared at her. She could see that it was working in his head.

"Only if you eat first," he said slowly.

"Alright" Obviously he had gained a little trust in her, after last night. She took one of the cookies she had brought for him from the plate and bit off a piece. Loki watched her closely, as if meant to catch every change in the motion of her face. Pepper swallowed and offered him the rest of the cookie. He took it carefully from her and examined it suspiciously, then smelled it. Very carefully he bit off a small piece of the cookie and chewed it slowly. Pepper smiled as he swallowed, then took another small bite. He seemed to gain more and more confidence with every bite and soon the cookie was completely gone.

"Do you want another one?"

Loki considered her offer a moment. "You first"

So she took another bite and offered the rest to him. Like that, three cookies disappeared from the pate, before Loki was full.

"It's okay," she said. "We don't have to overdo it. Drink this." She offered him a glass of milk. When he had emptied it, he handed it back to her.

"I'll take this down," she said. "For lunch I'll bring you something else."

He didn't argue.

"Oh and Bruce, the doctor, he wanted come and check on you later, if that's okay."

Loki gave a barely visible nod.

* * *

When Pepper came down into the living room, the others were arguing loudly.

"But there _must_ be something we can do! He is our friend," Thor shouted angrily at Steve, who was obviously trying to calm him, while Natasha and Tony had another argument, which Bruce was, seemingly unsuccessful, trying to solve.

"Loki ate something," Pepper announced.

They all fell silent and turned to her.

"How did you do it," Bruce asked impressed.

"Patience," she said with a smile, echoing his former words. She hadn't told them about Loki's nightmare.

Steve sighed. "At least that's some good news."

"After lunch I need to go buy some new food. Any wishes?"

They shook their heads.

"Steve and I are going to SHIELD this afternoon to speak with Fury," Natasha announced.

"Bruce and I have found something to work on," Tony said.

Thor scowled. "And what am I going to do?"

"You could go shopping with me," Pepper offered. "I want to buy Loki some new clothes. I need to wash the others. You could help me with his size."

"Shopping?" Thor looked utterly shocked.

"Oh you don't need to, if you've got something better to do."

The thunder god sighed. "Fine"

* * *

Going shopping with Thor had been a bad idea. He still wasn't used to driving in a car, pressed various buttons of the radio, which ended in it playing "Hell's bells" at full volume, he needed almost all the space in the front seat and that he constantly bumped his head in Pepper's new Citroen C4 didn't help much either.

At Walmart he scuffled after her impatiently with a permanent scowl on his face, inspecting all the products in the shelves suspiciously.

"What are 'Fruit Loops'," he asked, eying the package of cereals, as if it were a bomb ready to blow off any moment.

Pepper laughed. "You eat them with milk. Put them in the cart, Loki could like them."

Thor looked uncertain that _anyone _could like them, but he put them in anyway.

In the corridor with the sweets he stopped and picked up a bag of caramel toffee. "Loki loved Caramel when he was a child," he said, more to himself than to Pepper.

"In they go then," she said and took the bag from his hand to put them in.

The meat counter finally woke Thor's interest and when the nice Lady behind the counter asked him what he wanted, he ordered a half cow and Pepper explained with an apologetic smile, to the shocked looking shop assistant, that he had only been joking.

She did not look convinced, when she gave Pepper her order of two pounds of mincemeat and one pound of beef (to make Thor happy) over the counter.

"I wasn't joking," he told her, when they walked to the check out.

"I know," she whispered though gritted teeth. "But that's not how we do it on earth."

Buying clothes for Loki was even worse. He contorted his face in displeasure at everything she showed to him.

"He is going to look ridiculous in that," he scowled, when she showed him a simple red pullover.

Pepper sighed. "If you don't want him to walk around naked, we will have to buy _something_."

In the end they bought, some dark-blue and some black jeans, some plain blue, grey and green T-Shirts. They also found an emerald pullover, some underwear and socks and simple black trainers. Pepper wouldn't let herself be talked out off buying one hoodie with all the Avengers on it and another one only with Thor, swinging Mjolnir over his head. Thor scowled even more when he saw it, but Pepper ignored him.

On their way back, Thor sat on in the backseat, knees almost at his chin, with the shopping that wouldn't fit into the trunk anymore on his lab.

* * *

Steve and Natasha were already back from SHIELD, when they came into the tower. They sat on the sofa and didn't look too pleased.

"I see you were successful with your shopping," Tony said, when he and Bruce came out of the elevator behind them and kissed Pepper softly on the lips.

"Great choice," he said, when he spotted the pullover with the Avengers on in one of the bags and held it up to inspect it more closely. "Did you buy one with only me too?"

"Sadly no, they were out," she lied.

Tony sighed dramatically. "You can't help it, the kids these days simply know what's best"

"So how did it go with Fury," Bruce asked to change the subject.

Natasha glared at him darkly. "He had no time for us," she growled.

"The guy wouldn't even let us through, when Natasha threatened to slit his throat," Steve added.

Tony clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "Fury doesn't have his period, does he?"

"I say, that if he doesn't call for us tomorrow, we let ourselves in," Natasha said grimmly.

No one argued.

* * *

The elf waited with Clint, who was still bind to a chair, while his soldiers were out, to storm the little hospital in New Delhi, where Bruce had currently worked.

With dread Clint remembered, how the giant spaceship had landed on the market nearby and the surprised, anguished cries of the people, which had abruptly died away, when it had crushed them under itself.

Soon one of the elvish soldiers came back. "My Lord Aenor," he said. "The healer is not to be found. He's gone."

"Keep on searching," Aenor ordered.

"Yes my Lord" He left with a deep bow of his head.

"Where is he," Aenor asked coldly, he golden eyes, boring into Clint, making him shudder.

"I thought he was here," Clint lied, trying to sound relaxed.

"I know you are lying," the elf said calmly. "Where is the healer?"

"I don't know."

His gaze rested on Barton for a long moment. "You know, archer, I know many ways to make people talk," he whispered, crouching down to be on eyelevel with Clint. "Some are more, others are less painful" He made a pause, giving his words time to sink in. "I will give you a choice archer; You can tell me where the healer is, we could fly to the rest of your friends in New York or we could wait until they get here."

"Lick my arse," Barton growled.

Aenor sighed deeply. He snapped his fingers and hot, searing pain shot through Clint's body, stopping the breath in his lungs, making his head spin and insides contract. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Cold sweat appeared on his forehead and he let out a stifled cry.

Aenor snapped his fingers a second time and the pain stopped.

Hawkeye breathed heavily. "We will wait hear," he said.

The elf smiled coldly. "I thought we could come to an agreement."

* * *

_**So here is Chapter 5. Good? Bad? I hope you liked it and I promise the next chapter is going to concentrate at little more on Loki :D**_

_**Same request as usual; Correct, criticize and review please :)**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**thephoenixandthedragon4ever you needn't to worry. I'm not going to involve any child abuse in this story (and let's be honest, as if Thor would ever this happen;)**_

_**Enjoy the chapter:)**_

**Chapter 6**

That night Loki had another nightmare. Pepper had been up late, to do some of the work she had neglected since Loki's appearance. It was well past midnight, when she walked up the stairs to the bedroom, but a whimper coming from Loki's room made her pause. She opened the door silently and peered in. In the darkness she could see his small form tossing and turning in the bed, whimpering in his sleep. Pepper hurried to his side and shook him awake.

His eyes flew open and he sucked air in soundly. He stared at Pepper, eyes wide with panic, until he remembered where he was and his eyes filled with tears.

"It's okay," she whispered, running soothing circles over his back as he cried. The sight almost broke her heart. "It's okay Loki, it is over." Pepper felt the urgent need to pull him in her arms, but she did not dare, not yet.

They sat like this for a few minutes, until his breathing had evened out and his tears stopped falling. Afterwards she brought him back to bed, tucked him neatly under the covers and sat on the chair at the end of the bed.

She didn't ask his permission. He didn't argue.

Silence settled in the room. "Loki," Pepper asked, almost expecting that the boy had fallen asleep, but he turned his head to look at her. "Do you want to see something beautiful?"

He nodded.

She rose from the chair and pressed a small button in the wall beside the window façade. The huge shutter slowly started to lift, releasing the sight of a brightly illuminated New York City. The light of many small windows (and also some bigger ones) beneath them, made it look like an ocean of light.

Pepper looked at Loki. His head rested on the pillow, face turned towards the window façade and the hint of a smile appeared on his lips. It was the first time she had ever seen him smile…. or almost and she couldn't help but smile herself.

It became kind of a ritual. Every time Loki would have a nightmare the following nights, Pepper would come to sooth him and when he had calmed down, she would pull the covers over him and they would watch the skyline of New York together, until Loki had fallen back asleep. Pepper liked to watch him then, because it was the only time he would ever look as if he were at peace.

* * *

The next morning, when they sat at breakfast, Natasha got a call from Fury. "He wants us over," she said, so they all hurried to finish their meal and took off.

When they were gone, Pepper took the Fruit Loops she had bought with Thor the other day out of the cupboard and prepared breakfast for Loki. When she opened the door, he turned around and looked at her. It was the first time she found no fear in his eyes.

She smiled. "You look better. Are you hungry?" To her pleasant surprise he nodded. She handed him the bowl.

He inspected it sceptically. "What is that?"

"Fruit Loops. They are not poisonous, see?" She took a spoonful of it and ate. Loki still didn't look convinced.

"Try them before you start complaining," she scolded half-heartedly.

He hesitated a moment, then took a spoonful.

"Can I," Pepper asked, pointing at the chair. Loki thought for a moment, then he nodded.

Satisfied she watched how he finished the bowl within a short time and handed it back to her, completely empty. "Are you sated?"

Loki nodded. "Yes."

"You can leave your room you know," Pepper said when she turned to leave. "If you like. The others are out at the moment, so it's only the two of us."

Loki looked uncertain. She smiled. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything."

* * *

Fury greeted them in his usual, calm, bossy way. "Agent Barton is missing," he told them as a greeting.

"So we heard" Tony dropped himself on a chair opposite of Fury. The others each took a seat around the round, black table.

"What happened," Steve asked.

"Agent Barton was on a mission in Russia. We suspected that the Russians tested a new weapon on military ground. He was supposed to watch the tests and report about it two days ago, but he never turned up."

"What weapon," Bruce wanted to know.

"A bomb. We had reason to believe that they tested a new bomb, strong enough to wipe out the United States within the blink of an eye."

"And? How where they supposed to test it? I mean, without blowing up half their own country"

"By only using very small amounts of a new explosive," Fury replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Did you find any proof for it," Steve asked.

"Agent Barton was supposed to tell us that"

"Do the Russians have him," Natasha asked darkly, arms crossed before her chest.

Fury shook his head. "No, we don't believe so, they told us, all their soldiers on the testing grounds are dead. Barton was not among them."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Killed by their own explosive?"

"Sadly no. Most were crushed, a few shot with arrows"

"Barton?"

"If it was him, he used none of the arrows he had from SHIELD." Fury said and put a long arrow with a golden head on the table. There were small, black signs on it's shaft. "One of our men found this in one of the soldiers."

Thor picked it up. "I have never seen such an arrow before."

Bruce leaned closer to inspect it. "What are these signs," he asked and stroked over them with his thumb. They didn't disappear.

"What interests me much more than this arrow is; what crushed them," Tony asked leaning back in his chair.

"Our instruments recorded some ascent of power there, similar to the power they reported, when Thor crushed to earth, just way stronger, at the same time of the incident."

"And then," Steve asked.

"They broke down. Our technicians have managed to repair them this morning."

"What's your theory?"

"Our theory is that some extra-terrestrial species has come to earth and since we couldn't find Agent Barton's body, we assume that they have kidnapped him."

"Then we must find him," Natasha said grimly.

"Then tell me Agent Romanov, how are we supposed to do that without any sign of the kidnappers?"

Natasha said nothing.

"Your instruments haven't reported another signal," Bruce asked.

"No. I was hoping our thunder god might be able to tell us something more."

Thor shrugged. "The only species I know, which mostly fights with arrows are elves, but the light elves don't use arrows like these and the dark elves have been gone for centuries, millenniums even."

"And what are we supposed to do now," Steve asked.

"Wait, Captain. We will inform you as soon as we have anything new."

They all sighed. They were sick of waiting.

They rose and turned to go.

"There was an accent of energy at the Tower a few days ago," Fury said, making them halt.

Tony scratched the back of his head. "Ah, that. Thor had a little outburst over an argument," he said with an apologetic smile.

"Oh yes, I had a little too much beer," Thor added.

"Ah" It was obvious that Fury didn't believe them, but he nodded anyway. "I suppose you've settled everything? Nothing is broken?"

Tony cleared his throat. "No, everything is fine."

* * *

Pepper stood in the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea, enjoying the peace and quiet. It was nice to have the house all to herself for a moment.

She wondered what they were discussing at SHIELD. It was early afternoon and they still weren't back yet. She was just thinking about what she could cook for lunch, when suddenly Jarvis spoke to her.

"Miss Potts, there is someone standing behind you."

Pepper turned around. It was Loki, standing in the doorway, glancing around with uncertainty, hands hidden behind his back. She hadn't even heard him come in.

Pepper smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Hello Loki, how can I help you?"

The little boy stared down at his feet nervously. "I-I was wondering if I could have something to eat…"

She smiled even wider. "But of Course. What would you like?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Do you like spinach?"

"I suppose so…"

"Good, then I know what to make for you."

She took a package of spinach and fish fingers out of the freezer and got some potatoes out of the pantry.

"Would you like to help me peel the potatoes?"

Loki nodded. "Yes."

Pepper put water on the stove and then they sat down and started peeling potatoes. She smiled to herself as she watched Loki inspecting the peeler and remembered that he had most likely never used one. "Just watch how I am doing it"

He watched her peel a potato and then tried it himself. Pepper noticed that he was a quick learner. The first two, he peeled rather slowly, but soon he got used to working with the tool and work almost as quick as her.

When they were finished with peeling, Pepper looked into the pot. "I fear the water is not boiling yet."

Loki cleared his throat shyly. "I think I might help with that…"

"Oh" She looked at him surprised. "And how?"

He took the little stool Pepper used to reach some of the cupboards and set it down before the stove.

Pepper watched how he stood on it and put both his hands on either side of the pot.

"Loki be careful! You're going to burn your hands!"

"It's alright," he said.

She came closer and watched in astonishment, how the water began to boil within a few seconds.

Loki took his hands away from the pot, looking satisfied. "Done"

"Wow," Pepper looked impressed. "That's pretty handy"

Loki smiled proudly.

* * *

Half an hour later they were done cooking. Loki had helped Pepper to mash the potatoes and cook the spinach and put the fish fingers in a frying pan and now they sat in the kitchen together, having lunch.

Pepper liked him. Loki seemed to be an intelligent child, interested in everything. He was shy and mistrustful at first, but once you got past that he was helpful and sweet. The better she got to know him, the harder it was for her to believe, that the boy before her and the man, who had attacked New York City less than a year ago were the same person.

"You lied to me," Loki said all of a sudden.

Pepper blinked. "What?"

"You lied to me," he repeated. It was more a remark than an accusation. "You lied, when you said I was in Midgard."

"How do you know," she asked.

"I was in Midgard before," he said. "And they use horses and carts to move along, not the strange things you've got."

"Cars," she remarked.

He nodded. "Also their houses are smaller."

Only now Pepper realized that when Loki had been a child, the world had been in a completely different age. There had been no cars, electricity, skyscrapers or god knows what. She used to forget how old Thor and Loki really were (or in Loki's case was supposed to be)

"Maybe you just haven't been to that part of Midgard yet," she said lightly.

He did not look convinced, but he didn't press the subject any farther.

There was a short silence.

"Why weren't my parents here yet?" Suddenly Loki looked immensely sad. It broke Pepper's heart.

"Don't they want me anymore?"

"No," Pepper said softly and grasped his little hand over the table and squeezed it reassuringly. "No Loki. They love you, they are your _parents_. I'm sure they are already looking for you."

She could hardly tell him 'hey you have been de-aged and really you're a psychotic man, who couldn't bare that he was adopted and tried to enslave humanity'

Tears welled up in his eyes. "But why can't Heimdall see me then? And why am I here in the first place?" Tears started to roll down his cheeks and Pepper pushed back her chair and took him in her arms. "Hey, hey now, you don't need to cry. It's alright. I promise, everything is going to be alright."

Loki wrapped his arms around her neck and sobbed into her shoulder.

In that moment the others came into the kitchen. They stopped when they saw Pepper kneeling before Loki's chair, the sobbing boy in her arms.

"I just want to be with my mother and father and Thor."

Thor looked as if someone had punched him hard in his stomach. He had grown somewhat pale and the pained look in his eyes made Pepper want to go and pull him into her arms as well.

When Loki realized that the others had come into the kitchen he blushed and rubbed his eyes vigorously with the sleeve of his shirt. Pepper acted as if she hadn't seen them. "Do you know what we are going to do now? We're going to go into the bathroom and you are going to take a nice, long bath, alright?"

Loki nodded shyly.

Pepper rose to her feet and he climbed down from the chair. To her surprise Loki took her hand as she led him past the others. She squeezed it lightly.

* * *

After his bath, Pepper picked out some clothes for him. She chose the emerald green hoodie and black jeans. When he was dressed, she led him to a mirror.

Loki scowled at his reflection. "I look ridiculous."

Pepper chuckled. "Nonsense, you look very… handsome" She was about say adorable, but suspected that that wouldn't have been any better. And he did. The green matched his black hair and his green blue eyes perfectly.

"Do you want to come back down to the others with me?"

Loki shook his head.

"Oh Come on! They are nice enough."

He looked as if he highly doubted that.

Pepper sighed. "Alright, but I'll show to my room. There are books. You can pick some if you like."

That seemed more like his taste. So they went into hers and Tony's bedroom and chose some books. Loki went straight for the "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, but she talked him out of it and into some Roald Dahl-Books.

Then she went down to the others, smiling to herself. This day hadn't been too bad. Not too bad at all.

* * *

_**So how did you like this chapter? Was it good? Bad? I was a little worried it could be a little boring but it was important to be able to move on in this story. I hope you liked it anyway:)**_

_**As you already know; corrections, criticism and reviews are always welcome**_

_**Until next chapter:)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Days passed without a sign of Clint. Natasha stood in daily contact with Fury, but it was always the same he said; wait, be patient. It shattered both their nerves and their patience and there was an increasing tension in the house.

Loki kept making a slow progress. He started leaving his room, when he felt save that no one was around but Pepper or Bruce. Pepper even managed to persuade him to eat downstairs in the kitchen with her after the others had finished. Bit by bit, he even started to accept the presence of someone else in the room as long as Pepper was with him. Steve didn't seem to unsettle him much and after a while he didn't even look up anymore when he entered the kitchen. Tony he always eyed with a mixture of deep suspicion and genuine curiosity, while he and Natasha had settled for ignoring each other's presence. Really Pepper believed that neither of them really trusted the other.

The only real problem was Thor. Every time the thunder god entered the kitchen, Loki started to fidget on his chair, stared to the floor and ended his meal hastily. He would remain on his chair for several minutes after Thor had left and go when he was truly sure that he was not around anymore.

It pained Pepper to see this, for she saw how Thor suffered under his brother's mistrust, fear even. His face was composed, but he could not mask the pain that shot through his eyes every time he looked at Loki.

* * *

A week had passed since Clint's disappearing and there was still no sign of him. The tower was quiet. Bruce and Tony were working downstairs in his workshop on god knew what, Natasha had gotten an order from SHIELD and Steve was out for a walk. Loki strolled through one of the floors, lost in the first book of "Lord of the Rings" he had snitched from the shelf in Pepper's and Tony's bedroom. He didn't notice that there was someone else, until he bumped into a broad chest and suddenly found himself sitting on the floor.

"Are you alright," Thor asked concerned and offered Loki a hand to help him up.

Loki stared.

"I don't mean you harm you," he added, his hand still held out.

Loki kept starring. Then he grabbed the book, stood up and ran down the corridor, back to his room.

Pepper came along the corridor. "What was that;" she asked, starring after Loki.

Thor sighed heavily. "He is still afraid of me."

Pepper gave him a sympathetic look. "Do you want to come down with me? I wanted to make some coffee."

He shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

* * *

When Pepper had poured both of them some coffee, she sat down opposite of Thor. "You don't look good," she said. He really didn't. He was somewhat pale, had dark circles under his eyes and the fiery spark that usually glowed in them had disappeared.

He gave another sigh. "I'm fine."

Pepper raised an eyebrow. Thor looked up at her from his cup of coffee and acknowledged himself beaten. "I thought I had accepted that he was no longer my brother, but-", he broke off.

"It must be hard for you to see him like that," she said compassionately.

"Loki never was afraid of me," he said quietly.

"He doesn't know that you are you."

"No, he doesn't,"

For a moment there was silence. "Did Loki often have nightmares when he was a child," Pepper asked after a while.

Thor looked at her surprised. "Nightmares?"

She nodded.

"Loki often suffered from nightmares when he was little. He often came to me for comfort." His gaze momentarily drifted off, into an old memory. "Is he alright?"

Pepper shook her head. "I fear not. He has one almost every night."

Thor looked worried. "Do you know what about?"

"No, he won't tell me."

His face got a thoughtful expression. "Thank you," he said suddenly.

She looked at him puzzled. "What for?"

"For taking such good care of him"

* * *

Pepper smiled and made a dismissive motion. "Oh it's nothing."

Thor looked at her. "No, truly, thank you. I don't know what we would do without you."

That night Thor wandered around in the tower. He could not find sleep, like the nights before and restlessness had driven him out of bed. He wandered around aimlessly, however he found himself standing before Loki's room after a while, since almost every thought in his head was connected to him.

He had nightmares, Pepper had said. Were they as bad as he remembered them? Did he have one now? Should he go in? Without thinking about it any farther he opened the door and stepped into the darkness of the room and found the reply to his questions.

Loki lay tossing and turning in his bed. He had kicked back his blanket in his sleep and his forehead was covered with a thin sheen of sweat. Thor walked over to him, as fast as he could without making too much noise. There stood a chair beside the bed, on which he sat.

Loki whimpered in his sleep. "No, no please."

"Shsh, Loki, it's alright."

Thor brushed a few strands of hair from his damp forehead. Loki did not wake.

"Thor," he whimpered. "Help me Thor! Thor."

"I'm here Loki," he whispered and stroked his cheek. "I'm here. I'll protect you."

Loki's body went stiller and leaned into Thor's touch in his sleep.

"Thor," he whispered less frantically.

"It's alright. I'm here, I'll protect you. Always."

He watched how Loki's breathing evened and his face lost the horrified expression, until he looked almost peaceful..

Thor stayed with him, into the wee hours of morning.

* * *

Clint sat in his cell in the giant spaceship and waited. He had lost all feeling of time. His cell was illuminated with bright neon light, but it had no windows. If he was right, he was here for about a week, according to the number of meals they had brought him, but he wasn't sure.

The elves had unbound him from his chair, but now he sat in that big empty cell, bored. He had never seen anything of the ship, except the insides of his cell and the toilet the guards brought him to three times a day. Clint supposed that they were still in India, because he had noticed nothing similar to a start, but how could it be that no one noticed them? A _spaceship_ this size could hardly stand on a huge market place for a week and remain unnoticed, could it? He wasn't sure. With these creatures he wasn't sure about anything. And how could it be SHIELD hadn't noticed the damn ship? Where were his friends? He was sure they would have come and rescued him, if they knew where he was. Damn he was almost sure, that they would try to rescue him, if they had no idea where he was! Also he had not seen the elf with the golden eyes, Aenor, again, after he had asked information about Bruce and forced him to make a choice. Clint wasn't really sure if that bothered him.

Suddenly the door to his cell slipped open.

Speaking of the devil!

Aenor stepped in, looking as expressionless as ever. "I think it is time to send your friends a sign that we are here," he said coolly.

"How is it they don't know you are here already? I mean this ship is not exactly invisible."

The elf raised an eyebrow. "Oh isn't it?"

"No," Barton said, suddenly less sure.

"Let me put it like this; we can choose when we want to be seen, even _felt_ and when not," Aenor explained.

"I don't understand."

He smiled, obviously amused by Clint's lack of knowledge. "You don't need to," he said.

"But why wait so long? Why didn't you give them a sign earlier or simply attack New York _unseen_?"

"I wanted to test them," Aenor said seriously.

Clint blinked. Somehow he had expected something more original.

The elf sighed. "I wanted to test your organisation, see what the institution that protected earth from the Chitauri, could really do. To be honest, I'm a little disappointed. I had expected a little more. But never fear, you friends will be here soon enough."

* * *

**I'm sorry, I know this is a little short and there doesn't happen much, but the next chapter will make amends. And before you ask: It will be explained why the elves could remain unseen to both SHIELD and the Indian people and why it is not on the news**

**Comment, criticize and review if you like:)**


End file.
